Car-coupling



J. RAWLES.

(No Model.)

GAR GOUPLING.-

Patnted July 16, 1895.

WITNESSES:

JOHN RAWLES, OF RANDALL, ASSIGNOR OF THREE-FOURTHS IO JOHN L. GRIFFITH AND GEORGE H. MCELVAIN, OF BUSHNELL, ILLINOIS, AND FRANK W. RAWLES, OF VIOKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,685, dated July 16, 1895.

Application filed December 30, 1893. Serial No. 495,188. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

- Be it known that I, JOHN RAWLES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Randall, in the county of Knox and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Oar-Couplers, of which the following is a speci fication.

My invention relates to car-couplers; and one of my objects is to provide an adequate means whereby, when the draw-bar is broken at the neck the head thereof will not drop to the railway-track, but remain attached to the draw-bar, and in such an event be capable either of being coupled to another similar coupler by its usual movable jaw and automatic devices or by means of an ordinary coupling link and pin, substantially as hereinafter shown and described.

Still another object is to provide in the means for the purpose above described a capability also to serve for opening the movable jaw in automatic couplers of what are usually classified as of the Janney type, the movable jaw thereof being forced open and held inthat position ready for recoupling automatically, as is fully'described hereinafter and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a longitudinalhorizontal section of a draw bar and head, with a horizontallyvibrating couplerhead pivotally attached thereto on broken line 2 3, Fig. 3, the movable coupler-jaw and means for connecting the draw-bar to its head and for opening the movable jaw being shown in plan view. Fig. 2 is same as Fig. 1 with the operative parts in the position assumed when the coupling-jaw is open. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the draw bar and head thereof, together with horizontally-vibratin g head pivotally attached thereto and a portion of the movable jaw pivotally attached to the vibrating head on broken linea 5, Fig. 1, looking in direction indicated by arrow 6, and also shows a pin through the draw-bar head, which in this instance serves also as the pivotal and attachment pin for the vibrating head, and a pin through the drawbar near the center of length, together with means for connecting the two pins and a helical spring in operative shown in. Fig. 1.

position around the means for connecting the pins in elevation. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section ofa combined coupler-head and drawhead integral with thedraw-bar, the operative parts in plan View being similar to those Fig. 5 is a plan view of a horizontally-vibrating coupler-head; and Fig. 6 shows, respectively, a plan and a side view of a draw-bar having a head which is adapted to receive the movable coupler-head, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a plan view of a draw-bar With a coupler-head integral therewith, as shown in section in Fig. 4; Fig. 8 shows, respectively, a plan and a side view of one form of the means for connecting the pins which respectively pass through the draw-bar and the head thereof.

Similar letters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

It will be understood that the two different types of vertical automatic couplers are shown in the drawings to illustrate the adaptation of my improvements to more than one kind of coupler.

In the-drawings, A is the hollow draw-bar and B the head thereof, to which is usually attached all ordinary forms of vertical coupling devices.

O is a movable coupling-jaw pivotally attached to form one element of a coupler by means of pin D, and E is the locking-pin which holds the movable jaw in the closed position, and may be of any suitable form.

At F is a vertical pin which passes down through the draw-bar head and forms a pivotal pin for the attachment of the movable coupling-head G to the draw-bar head in such types of couplers as are shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and serves also as an anchor-pin, as when it is used with the combined coupler and draw-head, as shown in Figs. 4c and 7, a hole H being shown in Fig. 7 to receive the pin. At J is a pin which passes through the draw-bar in any convenient direction and forms a second anchor-pin.

A convenient form of means for connecting pins F and Jwithin the hollow portion of the draw-bar andthe head thereof is the bolt K, which is slotted at L for the reception of drawbar head-pin F, and again slotted at W for the reception of draw-bar pin J, these pins passing through bolt K and the slots permitting the bolt to have a longitudinal movement relative to the draw-bar. A helical spring N, around bolt K, bears one end against a washer in contact with draw-bar pin J and the other end in contact with a shoulder O of bolt K, the action of the spring serving to hold the bolt in the forward position shown in Fig. 2, with the front end in contact with the rear of the locking-arm O of the movable jaw O, the closing of the jaw, however, causing the bolt to slide rearwardly on the pins F and J, with the spring N compressed and in the relative position shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4.

It is obvious that in the act of uncoupling when the locking-pin E is moved to release the movable jaw C the action of spring N would instantly throw the jaw to the open position shown in Fig. 2, and that in the act of running two cars together provided with these couplers both movable jaws would be closed and coupled by the impact, as usual; but

an efficient coupling being made with the automatic devices, as usual, a link-and-pin coupling could still be made with the hole P at the outer end of the movable jaw and the car by this means brought in for repairs.

I claim as my invention 1 The combination, with a hollow draw bar provided with two transverse openings, one in the head and the other in the shank, of a jaw pivotally secured to the head, the locking-arm of which extends in front of the hollow portion of the bar, a bolt within the bar,

each end of which is provided with a slot and the intermediate portion is provided with a shoulder, a pin through each slot of the bolt 5 and its respective openings in the bar, and'a spring between the shoulder, of the bolt and the rear pin, whereby the front end of the bolt is constantly held against the locking- 1 arm of the pivotal jaw of the head and nor- ,mally holds the jaw open, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand, this 25th day of should the draw-bar head of one or both of the couplers be broken off at the neck, say near the broken lines 7 S of Figs. 6 and 7, the head would still remain attached to the drawbar by means of bolt K andpins F and J, and

although such abrcak would possibly prevent November, 18-93, in the presence of witnesses. 55

JOHN RAWLES. WVitnesses:

OSCAR SNELL, JOHN C. GRIFFITH. 

